Teofimo Lopez says he may move up to 147 for his next fight and challenge for a world title.
Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) could challenge Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO welterweight belt if he’s upgraded to full Champion’ by the World Boxing Organization. Terence Crawford moved up to 154 and has not said he intends to return to 147 to resume defending the WBO belt.
Norman (26-0, 2Os) captured the WBO interim 147-lb title on May 18th, knocking out Giovani Santillan in the tenth round in San Diego. The power and toughness that Norman showed in that fight was impressive.
Lopez will need to think carefully before moving up to 147 because his last two performances against Steve Claggett and Jamaine Ortiz at 140 showed he’s not the fighter he was once at 135. The power didn’t carry up, and he’s looked average in three out of his last four fights.
Top Rank’s matchmakers have got to know that the 23-year-old Brian Norman Jr. would be too powerful and tough for Teofimo and will either knock him out or beat him soundly.
Teofimo is in a tough spot because he needs to move up to 147 because he looked badly drained, making weight for the last title defense of his WBO 140-lb belt against Claggett on June 29th in Miami, Florida.
Lopez’s face was swollen, and both eyes looked in bad shape from the many punches Claggett had thrown. This was supposed to be a showcase fight in which Teofimo would look impressive, but it turned out to be a really tough one.
If that performance was due to the struggles Teofimo had making weigh, he’s got to move up.
Mark Kriegel: “Two things I want to know. You had one-shot lightning power at 135. Do you have it at 140 and will you have it at 147?” said ESPN commentator Kriegel to Top Rank Boxing.
Teofimo Lopez: “147 is something that I plan on moving towards to probably even this next upcoming match.”
Kriegel: “The next upcoming match. You talked about Pitbull Cruz. You want to fight four times this year. There’s only one way to do it, which is September, probably in the Garden. There’s a lot of talk of you and Brian Norman at 147, which I think would be a hell of fight. What do you think?”
Teofimo: “Teofimo Lopez a three diviion world champion at 27. That sounds great to me.”
Kriegel: “You’re being slick now.”
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